The present invention relates to techniques for delivering a medical treatment material to a site along an internal passageway of a patient""s body, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to brachytherapy positioning systems and methods.
Brachytherapy is a form of radiation therapy whereby a radiation source is placed in or near target cells, typically malignant cells. Brachytherapy has also been employed to prevent restenosis in vascular passageways after angioplasty treatment. Due to the fact that the intensity of radiation that emanates from a source varies inversely with the square of the radial distance from the source, when treatment is administered in vascular passageways, the source of radiation must be properly positioned. If the radiation source is not centered properly, the walls of the vessel being treated will not receive a uniform dosage of radiation; certain portions of the wall will receive too much radiation and other portions will receive too little radiation.
One scheme utilizes a balloon catheter to deliver the radiation source and centers the source by inflating the balloon. When utilized in vascular passageways, such devices can potentially impede or stop blood flow during treatment. Blocking blood flow can lead to several complications. For example, impeding blood flow in a coronary artery for a prolonged period of time may result in myocardial infarction, angina, or ischemia. A brachytherapy positioning system is therefore needed that reduces blood flow obstruction during treatment. The present invention addresses this need, and has other benefits and advantages.
The present invention relates to a brachytherapy positioning apparatus and a method for positioning a medical treatment material.
One form of the present invention is a unique brachytherapy apparatus. This apparatus may include a reconfigurable positioning element through which blood may flow when in an expanded state. Additionally or alternatively, another form of the present invention includes a unique medical treatment method. This unique method may include utilization of a brachytherapy apparatus according to the present invention to deliver and position a radiation source at a predetermined location along a passageway in a patient""s body.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a unique brachytherapy positioning apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a unique method of positioning a medical treatment material within a patient""s body.